George-Whitefield-Field-Preacher

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GEORGE WHITEFfELD
In 1753 Whitefield published 'Hymns for Social Worship,'
a collection of hymns from various authors, ' more particularly
designed for the use of the Tabernacle Congregation in
London.' He drew most of its hundred and seventy hymns
from Watts, and many from the Wesleys. The book, which
was quickly followed by Wesley's ' Hymns and Spiritual
Songs ' and a Moravian Hymn Book, passed through thirty-six
editions in forty-three years. It contained a preface addressed
to the 'Courteous Reader,' and is as like the author as Wesley's
famous preface to his book of 1779
is like him. Whitefield
himself has left no great hymn to the Church, though the
Methodist revival gave the English Church in all its branches
the greater number of its best hymns. Watts, John and
Charles Wesley, Doddridge, Cennick, Olivers, Toplady, and
others, all of them either taking an active part in the movement
or coming within the range of its influence, have expressed for
us the humblest grief of our repentance, the fullest trust of our
faith, and the brightest expectation of our hope ; but White-
field has given us not a verse worth retaining. Emotional, like
Charles Wesley, he yet had none of that fervid poet's music.
One gift in a supreme degree is enough for any man ; and as
a preacher he was the greatest of all his brethren, the most
competent of his contemporaries being judges.
The only direct association of Whitefield's name with the
names of the brilliant and gifted men of his time has already
appeared in the narrative of his preaching triumphs. It was
principally statesmen—Pitt and Fox among the number, never
Burke—who went to hear him. Hogarth disgraced his genius
by some indecent caricatures of him ; Pope by abusing him in
the Dunciad. Not one of the celebrated Literary Club, Garrick
excepted, was ever seen in the ' soul-trap.' Oglethorpe makes
a kind of link between the Club and the Tabernacle. A friend
of Whitefield, he was also a friend of Goldsmith ; and some-